Speechless: Part II
by bowtruckle90
Summary: Second installment of "Speechless". Rated M for later installments.
1. Chapter 1

"I spoke to it. I mean it wasn't unusual for me; it's happened before."

Harry was being ignored my just about everyone in the school at the moment. Ever since the incident at the dueling club it seemed everyone thought he was the heir of Slytherine. And Hermione was right; he very well could be. Ana disagreed, saying the heir would have been lost forever after a thousand years, or at the very least there would be about a dozen individuals who could lay the same claim. It could be anyone. But since Harry wasn't the one doing these things, he was certain it wasn't him. Didn't matter that everyone else suspected him. Sometimes he got irritated with Ron and Hermione's uncomfortable silence and asked Ana to just take a walk with him. This was one of those occasions.

"I just don't know what to do."

Ana snaked her arm through his and led his to the bench in the courtyard outside the school entrance. Once they had she signed back to him, 'Everyone's scared. It's just that you have an unusual gift that has a connection to dark wizards. You've had some wrong place wrong time bad luck. I don't know who is doing this, but eventually it will become clear who is and everything will be okay again.' She reached to his chin and turned it toward him. 'I'll never believe them. And I'll never turn my back on you.'


	2. Chapter 2

"Harry, mate, you can't keep blaming yourself." Ron was offering his cool advice, but he was clearly stricken with panic over the afternoon's news.

Harry, for his part, was blaming himself, but not for the reason Ron was thinking. They had been trying to figure out the riddles for months and nothing was coming of it. Their lack of knowledge about this puzzling situation at the school was nothing new.

Harry was blaming himself because he wasn't there.

It was lonely without Ana. She was someone he knew he could open up to, not just because she could not tell his secrets, but because she wouldn't.

The more he thought about it, the worse he felt. First Mrs. Norris (no great loss, but still), then Justin and Nick, now Hermione and Ana; who would be next? "We have to figure this out Ron," Harry said, not letting go of Ana's cold hands. "We have to talk to Hagrid, tonight. I know it's dangerous, but we can't wait anymore."

Hagrid as it turned out had been quite the help for his own name; he cleared it by leading the boys to his old pet in the forest, a giant spider. The creature had lived long enough to become intelligent and it spoke with the boys briefly in which it cleared its name as the creature terrorizing the school, and thereby Hagrid for being the culprit. Not that there was anything the boys could do now that Dumbledore had been removed from the school.

Following their mini adventure Ron was able to drop off into a fit of snores faster than Harry had ever witnessed, but Harry himself could not find it in himself to sleep. He got up and tiptoed out of the dormitory room, sweeping his cloak on as he went. Unseen he made his way out of the portrait hole and through the various corridors leading him to the hospital wing. It was filling up fast with victims these days. Nick and Justin, Hermione. And Ana. Harry found her at the end of the row of beds designated for attack victims. She was straight as a bored, like she had been standing when it happened, and her eyes were shut. What had been happening to her? To everyone? Who was doing this? No one knew, and now the only two people aside from Harry and Ron making an effort to find out had fallen to the mystery. It didn't help that of the four it was the girls with the biggest brains. Harry stayed for a good amount of time. He wanted to look at her, touch her hair, let her know in some way, if she could sense his presence at all, how sorry he was.

He left when he could hear Filch skulking around down the hall. Harry swept his cloak back on and headed off in the opposing direction of the caretaker, taking the long way back to the tower. Harry told himself that he had to solve this, for everyone. But most of all for Ana. If he didn't Harry thought he might be blaming himself forever for letting her lag behind in the library instead of insisting she make her way to the pitch with the crowd. Maybe if he had Ana would be conscious. Ana would be all right.


	3. Chapter 3

Harry was anxious. The feast was uncomfortable, especially since he was waiting for the girls to come back. Suddenly, he heard a familiar voice. It was Hermione. She was greeting Nearly Headless Nick. Harry and Ron stood up and Hermione rushed into a hug from Harry. When he let go, Harry looked back at the door. It was empty. With a heavy sigh he turned back to watch Hermione and Ron greet one another stiffly and take their seats again. Just when he was about to give up on seeing Ana today, there was a soft hand on his shoulder. He turned. There was a stunning pair of sparkling eyes looking back at him.

Harry stood and beamed at Ana. He hugged her for far longer than was necessary. He never wanted to let go ever again.


End file.
